Housing Help

It can be absolutely exhilarating to finally decide where you want to go for grad school. After weeks and months of weighing this over that, you’re finally ready to buy your first (or second or third) piece of Michigan paraphernalia. You inexplicably find yourself exclaiming “Go Blue” at random moments. You’re not alone…these are the signs of a newly minted Wolverine (by the way…did you know that the Wolverine is not, in fact, our official mascot? It is merely our nickname).

At some point, excitement for this new phase in your life can turn to concern, worry, and even panic. Where are you going to live when you get here?

A great place to start for some general information about housing in Ann Arbor is this housing guide provided by the university’s housing website.

Also provided on the housing website is a pretty fantastic (if you ask me) map of Ann Arbor broken up by neighborhood. The map is interactive, so you can get a description of each area, plus view the listings there as well. For those of you looking to be a little further from undergraduates, I think that most undergrads live in neighborhoods 5 and 6.

Craiglist is alive and well in Ann Arbor. You can also check out Mapskrieg which gives you an Ann Arbor map with craigslist postings mapped out.

Generally speaking, you can find cheaper housing if you leave the center of town (and the center of Kerrytown). Lots of housing can be found near the city bus line which is free for students if you show your student ID.

Another great alternative is Northwood. Northwood is the official Graduate Housing through the university. You'll find families, grads, and international students living there. You can also get apartments furnished or unfurnished there, which could be helpful for some folks. Note in the price...all utilities are included, local phone service, DSL connectivity, and in Northwood IV and V, washer/dryer.

Here’s a Northwood testimonial from one of our incoming students: “I lived in family housing, and I really liked it. It's a very quiet place to live, and the bus comes every 10 minutes so you don't need a car to go downtown. The rent is comparable with apartments the same size, but all utilities are included. There is a Kroger and a coffee shop in walking distance.” –Colleen Theisen, incoming MSI student

Also, once you have your UM uniquename, you can log on to the Marketplace. There's all kinds of great stuff you'll find here. People post ads looking for roommates, housing, to sell stuff (including football tickets), etc. It's like a university-specific craigslist.

Good luck with the hunt! This is an exciting time, and as always, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us!

Posted by vvergoth on April 04, 2008 at 01:05 PM | Comments (0)